Test kits

[garfy]

So on Saturday I bought a Tetra Nitrate test kit as I was not 100% convinced that my API master test kit was reliable.
The resulting differences were shocking.

Tetra = 25ppm

API. = 60ppm


I never quite trusted my API Nitrate test.There is too Much room for error with all the shaking and what not.
The tetra Nitrate test involves less shaking and no shaking of the test bottles themselves.Only the tube with the tank water and Nitrate test solutions mixed needs to be shaken and only for 20 seconds.
Great product from tetra

 

[Supra]

Interesting, I wonder if they make a saltwater version.
Supra

 

[garfy]

Interesting, I wonder if they make a saltwater version.
Supra

Yes they do make them for saltwater.
You can't buy a master test kit.You buy individual tests.I would recommend giving this product a go.

 

[Supra]

Not to hijack thread but I would like to know if anyone else has experience with this?
Supra

 

[garfy]

Not to hijack thread but I would like to know if anyone else has experience with this?
Supra

I would also like to hear other people's experiences.

 

[boadams87]

What were the other readings? Even if the api was a little high I'd still feel more comfortable with that reading than it be to low and risk my fish. And just do a WC .

 

[garfy]

What were the other readings? Even if the api was a little high I'd still feel more comfortable with that reading than it be to low and risk my fish. And just do a WC .

My fish are all healthy and I do 50% pwc's every week and always have done.I tested my lfs's water with the API kit and the nitrates were almost red.They are a very reputable store and always have happy healthy fish.

 

[Lovin Fish]

Hmmm, interesting. I haven't bought a test kit because I haven't been able to decide which one is best. I have my water tested at my LFS, but it sure would nice to do it myself.

 

[boadams87]

Hmmm, interesting. I haven't bought a test kit because I haven't been able to decide which one is best. I have my water tested at my LFS, but it sure would nice to do it myself.

The API is cheaper on amazon.

 

[Lovin Fish]

The API is cheaper on amazon.

Cheaper is always a nice touch I wonder though, if the tetra is better. What a difference between the two! Hard to know which one is trully accurate. But...since I don't know, the test kit that reads higher would be safer IMO. It'd be awful it the low reading was a false reading!

 

[KlcoKN]

If you've had the api test for a while and weren't shaking it enough in the beginning maybe the solution is more concentrated and thats why its high? But I agree that I would rather have a false high than a false low, it would be better to err on the safe side and give your fish cleaner water than be poisoning them from too low of readings imho.
And someone should make control solutions, so you can check various test kits and see which one is most accurate
It would be easy enough for ammonia, as long as you knew the % strength you could easily enough make up a 4ppm solution and test it with various kits, but I don't know how you could do it for nitrate let alone nitrite...

 

[boadams87]

Cheaper is always a nice touch I wonder though, if the tetra is better. What a difference between the two! Hard to know which one is trully accurate. But...since I don't know, the test kit that reads higher would be safer IMO. It'd be awful it the low reading was a false reading!

That's what u thought to.